Off-duty cop sentenced for fatal DUI

An off-duty police officer got two to seven years for causing a fatal drunk driving crash in 2013.

Former Sgt. Thomas Winkis was driving at 101 miles per hour on a road with a 35 mph speed limit when he crashed into the vehicle of 55-year-old David Farries on Sept. 14, 2013.

Winkis was found to have a blood alcohol content level of .10 two hours after the crash, whichoccurred around 11:45 p.m. at State Road and Ashburner Streetin Holmesburg.

Farries was making a turn onto State Road when Winkis’ 2002 Dodge Challenger, traveling south on State Road,collided with Farries’ Ford Econoline van. Farries wasejected from his vehicle. Both drivers were hospitalized.

Farries died on Sept. 17 at 7 a.m.

Winkis pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, DUI and recklessly endangering another person.

Reports says Winkis had been drinking at Maggie’s Waterfront Bar in Torresdalewith a friend and consumed nine beers andthree shots before the crash.

Winkis was also recently bereaved at the time. Just a week before the crash, on Sept. 7, his wife Michelle, also a police officer, had collapsed at work from a brain aneurysm and died days later.

Before the sentence was handed down, Winkissaid he was sorry for the pain he caused the victim’sfamily,according to prosecutor Thomas Lipscomb.

In addition to the two to seven year sentence, Winkis was ordered to pay funeral costs — reportedly $15,000.

Thelegal BAC limit for “impairment” is .08.